Chapter 100: The Resentful Nyx
Amora tidied her messy blonde hair in the mirror, regaining a bit of the Enchantress's pride.
Lorelei lay on the bed with her legs crossed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
After a while, she suddenly rolled over and lay on her stomach, looking at her sister.
"Sister..."
"Actually..."
"Don't you think His Highness Arthas... is kind of handsome?"
There was a trace of imperceptible shyness in her voice.
She recalled the way Arthas had just crushed the potion bottle with one hand and domineeringly seized them.
That powerful divine aura, that disdainful gaze.
To a woman like her who worshipped the strong, it was simply a fatal attraction.
Amora's hand, which was applying lipstick, paused for a moment.
She glanced at her younger sister through the mirror.
"Hmm..."
"He is a bit handsome."
"Not just handsome, but strong."
"That kind of divine power... I've only ever felt it from Odin."
"And he's Aphrodite's son; the genes are right there."
She commented subconsciously.
But soon, she realized something was wrong.
"Wait!"
"What are we talking about!"
"What are we saying!"
Amora turned around abruptly, looking at Lorelei with disappointment.
"We were captured by him!"
"He is our enemy!"
"We want to conquer Huwen Odinson to take control of Asgard!"
"It's so that Asgard can welcome its Queen!"
"Not for you to sit here acting like a fangirl!"
Lorelei, having been scolded, shrank her neck.
"Oh, right..."
"For the Queen..."
"When the time comes... when the time comes, I'll drag him to my bed and ravage him a hundred times!"
"I'll make him kneel at my feet and beg for mercy!"
"I'll show him how formidable I am!"
She waved her small fists, trying to regain a bit of a villainous aura.
But no matter how she sounded, it felt more like... a tsundere?
Amora nodded in satisfaction.
"Exactly, I want that too!"
"I'll also let him taste my formidab—"
Halfway through, she suddenly felt that these words sounded a bit off.
Why did it feel more like some kind of strange declaration?
She looked at Lorelei's glowing eyes and sighed.
"No, sister."
"Can you stop thinking about men?"
"Our goal is to be Queen, it's power!"
"Men are just tools, stepping stones!"
Lorelei blinked, looking at her sister with an innocent face.
"But sister..."
"Don't you want him a bit yourself?"
"When he was mentioned just now, your heart skipped several beats."
"And you even touched up your makeup on purpose."
"Is that for the jailers to see?"
Amora's face turned red instantly.
Having her thoughts exposed, she became somewhat flustered and angry.
"Shut up!"
"I'm doing this... I'm doing this to maintain my peak condition at all times!"
"What if he really comes to 'interrogate' us?"
"Shouldn't we use our beauty to make him lower his guard and then take the chance to escape?"
"It's called tactics! Do you understand!"
The two sisters stared at each other in the dungeon.
One was stubborn, the other was a fangirl.
They completely forgot their situation of being imprisoned.
On the other side.
Arthas naturally didn't know about the farce happening in the dungeon.
Even less did he know that he was being rumored to be a romantic prince who "kept beauties in a golden house."
He walked out of the dungeon and took a deep breath of the fresh air outside.
He felt refreshed.
Lately, the government affairs had been mostly handled.
The integration of Asgard and Olympus was also on the right track.
Although those goddesses were still a bit clingy, they had settled down quite a bit.
It was time to consider that major matter.
"Hela..."
Arthas gazed at the giant moon in the sky, whispering the name.
The Goddess of Death who had been sealed by Odin.
According to the timeline, the seal should be getting looser and looser.
The Old Man, Odin, had also hinted at this before.
"Since things at home are settled."
"Then it's time to resolve this greatest hidden danger."
"I can't really wait until the day of Ragnarök to take action, can I?"
Thinking this, Arthas turned and walked toward his Private Chambers, his steps firm and powerful.
"Just wait, my dear sister."
"Your brother is coming to 'pick you up' and bring you home."
The sunlight of Asgard was always so dazzling, carrying a sense of never-ending glory.
But on the westernmost side of the Golden Palace, there was an area that was always shrouded in a thin layer of gloom.
There were no magnificent decorations here, nor noisy guards; only large patches of black Datura flowers swaying quietly in the breeze, emitting a cold and deep fragrance.
Arthas stood before this palace made of obsidian stoneand took a deep breath.
This was the temporary residence of the primordial godNyx—the Silent Temple.
Even as a candidate for God King, standing here, he couldn't help but feel a trace of inexplicable pressure.
It was a kind of awe toward the ancient darkness coming from the very source of life.
"Phew... don't be nervous, that's your own sister."
"It's not like I'm going to see some man-eating monster."
Arthas patted his cheeks, trying to relax.
Although Nyx had always been very friendly to him, even pampering him.
But she was a primordial god that even Odin was wary of.
And her personality... how should I put it, was a bit unpredictable.
He tidied his collar, confirmed he wasn't being rude, and then reached out to slowly push open the heavy black doors.
As the doors opened, a wave of coolness washed over him.
The hall was exceptionally empty, and the ceiling was not rock but a slowly flowing, brilliant river of stars.
Countless stars twinkled in that deep darkness, casting a faint and mysterious light.
At the deepest part of the hall, on a throne condensed from pure shadows.
A figure was leaning back lazily.
She wore a flowing dress of night color, her long hair cascading down one side of the throne like a waterfall.
In her hand, she toyed with a black orb of light that looked like a miniature Universe.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, the person slowly raised her head.
What deep eyes those were, as if they contained all the nights and secrets of the world.
The moment she saw Arthas, a ripple appeared in those originally calm eyes.
The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, forming a playful arc.
"Oh, look who's here?"
"Isn't this our busy man of Asgard, Your Highness Arthas?"
"What, did you finally remember that in this remote corner, you still have a forgotten sister?"
Her voice echoed in the hall, carrying a unique magnetism and laziness.
Every word was like a feather, gently scratching at one's heart.
Arthas's ears felt a bit itchy from the voice.
He stepped forward quickly, a pleasing smile on his face.
"Sister, look at what you're saying."
"How would I dare to forget?"
"It's just that there have been too many things lately."
"I just settled those aunts from Olympus... uh, goddesses."
"And I have to deal with all sorts of trivial matters at home."
"I'm really stretched thin, wishing I could split myself in two."
Chapter 101: The Goddess of Night Explains in Person
"Lacking the time to be in two places at once?"
Nyx chuckled softly and slowly stood up from her throne.
She didn't walk down immediately, instead looking down at Arthas with a hint of playful scrutiny in her eyes.
"How is it that I heard you were too popular among women to have time to see me?"
"Aside from that mess with Loki..."
"The matter with Hera has spread throughout the entire Golden Palace."
"To escape the 'pursuit' of the goddesses, you even had to hide in the room of your two mothers."
"Tsk tsk, you really are living a romantic and happy life."
Arthas's face turned red with embarrassment.
Were there no secrets left in Asgard?
How did Nyx even know about him hiding in the room of his two mothers?
Did this sister install surveillance on him?
"Sister... that... that was a misunderstanding!"
"I was forced! I'm the victim!"
"And... and haven't I come to see you as soon as I had a moment?"
He tried to argue, but his voice grew smaller and smaller.
Seeing his embarrassed state, the smile in Nyx's eyes deepened.
She lifted her skirt and walked down the steps one by one; with every step, the surrounding starlight seemed to pulse in rhythm.
That innate nobility and sense of mystery grew stronger as she approached.
Until she stood before Arthas, the distance between them so close they could almost hear each other's breathing.
Arthas subconsciously held his breath; the face before him was breathtakingly beautiful, yet carried a majesty that made one afraid to look directly at it.
Nyx extended a long, fair arm and naturally rested it on Arthas's shoulder.
Then, she leaned forward slightly, leaning close to his ear. A wave of cool fragrance instantly surrounded Arthas, making his mind go blank for a moment.
"You only came to see me because you had time?"
"Or did you come to see me because you have a favor to ask?"
Nyx's voice was very low, her warm breath brushing against Arthas's sensitive ear.
It carried a hint of teasing, and a trace of undetectable... coquettishness?
"You little heartless thing."
"I, your sister, have been watching you every day from this gloomy temple."
"Watching you deal with those little girls."
"Watching you get dazed by them."
"My heart is... quite sour."
Arthas felt half his body go weak.
Who could withstand this?
This was the coquettishness of a primordial god-level mature woman!
He felt his heart race, his face turning as red as a ripe tomato.
"Sister... stop teasing me!"
"And... and I really do have serious business today..."
He stammered his explanation, his eyes darting around, not daring to look into Nyx's enchanting eyes.
Seeing Arthas looking like he was about to smoke from embarrassment.
Nyx finally showed some mercy and let him go.
She chuckled, withdrew her arm, turned back to her throne, sat down again, and crossed her legs.
Her posture returned to its previous laziness and dominance.
"Alright, I'll stop teasing you."
"Look at how scared you are, I won't eat you."
"Say, what is this serious business?"
"For a busy man like you to come in person, it must be no small matter."
She tapped the armrest with her fingertip, signaling Arthas to continue.
Arthas took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and his expression became serious.
"It's about... Hela."
"The Old Man gave me the task of dealing with Hela's seal."
"But I don't know much about the Divine Power of Death."
"And... I'm also worried about Hela's current state."
"After being sealed for thousands of years, anyone would go crazy."
"So I wanted to ask for your advice, sister, if you have any good suggestions."
Hearing the name "Hela".
Nyx didn't show much surprise, as if everything was within her expectations.
She tilted her head slightly, looking at the river of stars on the dome, her eyes becoming deep.
"Hela..."
"Odin's eldest daughter, the child known as the Goddess of Death."
"Her power is indeed very special."
"One could even say she possesses the power closest to the essence among the gods of Asgard."
Nyx withdrew her gaze and looked at Arthas.
"The Divine Power of Death is not just about killing."
"It is more of a rule, a conclusion."
"If this power cannot be fully mastered, it will backfire on the user."
"Corrupting her mind, making her cold, bloodthirsty, and even insane."
"And Odin back then..."
She gave a cold laugh.
"That old guy, for the sake of so-called kingship and stability."
"Chose the most simple and crude method—sealing."
"Locking her in a place like the Underworld, filled with the aura of death."
"This is no different from adding fuel to the fire."
Arthas nodded, his brow furrowed.
"I think so too."
"In that environment, her resentment will only grow heavier."
"So... sister, where do you think her main problem lies now?"
"Is it power out of control? Or..."
"It's an inner demon."
Nyx said decisively.
"Out-of-control power is just the surface."
"What truly made her like this is an inner demon."
"The resentment of being betrayed, used, and abandoned by her closest kin."
"Thousands of years of loneliness and imprisonment."
"In a place like the Underworld, these negative emotions are infinitely magnified."
"Eventually forming an unsolvable knot."
"If you don't resolve this inner demon, even if you defeat her ten thousand times."
"She will never truly submit, let alone return."
Arthas fell silent.
Inner demon.
This was indeed the most troublesome problem.
Physical enemies can be defeated, but how do you fight an enemy in the heart?
"Then what should I do?"
He looked at Nyx somewhat helplessly.
"Influence her with love?"
"That's a bit too... you know?"
Nyx looked at him and suddenly laughed, a laugh that was somewhat meaningful.
"Influence her with love?"
"Though it sounds cliché."
"This might be the weapon you are best at, isn't it?"
"Look at the people gathered around you."
"Diana, Sif, Brunhilde, and that group of goddesses from Olympus."
"Which one of them wasn't attracted by your... seemingly silly, but actually sincere and warm quality?"
"For a crazy woman who has been starved of love for thousands of years."
"Sometimes, a sincere acceptance is more effective than any divine weapon."
Being praised like this by Nyx, Arthas felt a bit embarrassed again.
"Sister, you flatter me..."
"I was just... being myself."
"But since you've said so, sister, I have more confidence."
"No matter how hard it is, I have to try."
"After all, we're family. I can't really watch her destroy herself and Asgard."
Seeing the firm light rekindled in Arthas's eyes.
The look of appreciation in Nyx's eyes grew even more intense.
She stood up from the throne and walked to Arthas once again.
This time, she didn't tease or joke, but wore a solemn expression.
She extended her slender, fair hand, palm upward.
"Since you have this intention."
"As your sister, I naturally cannot let you go empty-handed."
"A place like the Underworld is not friendly to the living."
"Even if you have a divine body, you will be suppressed."
As her voice fell.
The surrounding starlight began to gather in her palm.
The light in the hall seemed to dim a bit as all the dark energy was compressed and refined.
Finally, a Black Bead the size of a fingernail condensed in her palm.
The bead didn't look like much, but it emitted a deep and peaceful aura.
As if it could swallow all fear and anxiety.
Chapter 102: Helheim
"This is the 'Nights Protection'."
Nyx said softly.
"It contains a trace of my primordial power."
"Keep it with you."
"It will help you resist the deathly erosion of the underworld, allowing you to walk through the darkness as if on level ground."
"At critical moments, it can also help steady your mind, protecting you from the influence of Hela's madness."
After speaking, she tapped her finger lightly, and the bead turned into a stream of light, sinking into Arthas's forehead.
Arthas felt a cool sensation at the center of his brow.
Immediately after, a cool and comfortable current of air quickly flowed through his entire body.
The feeling was like drinking a glass of ice-cold spring water on a hot summer day.
His mood, which had been somewhat irritable from thinking about the Hela problem, instantly became calm.
Even his vision seemed to become clearer.
"This... this is too precious!"
Arthas touched his forehead; no mark was left there, but he could clearly feel the presence of that power.
"Why talk about what's precious or not with your sister?"
Nyx reached out to help him tidy his slightly messy bangs, her movements as gentle as if she were handling a rare treasure.
"As long as you can return safely."
"This little thing is nothing."
"I don't want to see my newly recognized brother turn into a wraith of the underworld."
She looked into Arthas's eyes and said seriously.
"Promise sister, no matter what happens."
"Your life is what matters most."
"If you can't win, then run."
"Come back and tell me, and I'll go beat her up for you."
A warm current surged in Arthas's heart.
This feeling of being protected without reservation was truly wonderful.
He could no longer control his emotions, stepped forward, and took the initiative to give Nyx a big hug.
"Thank you, sister!"
"Don't worry, I'm actually very strong!"
"When I bring that crazy sister back, I'll definitely come find you first!"
"When that time comes, the three of us siblings will drink together!"
Nyx was stunned for a moment, then she also reached out and hugged him back.
The smile at the corner of her mouth fully bloomed.
"Good."
"It's a promise."
"I'll be waiting for your good news."
The two embraced for a moment in the dark hall.
At this moment, there was no barrier between gods, no distance of time and space, only pure sibling affection.
A moment later, Arthas let go, a bright smile on his face.
"Then I'm off!"
"Hela is still waiting for me over there!"
"You take care too, sister, don't stay up too late... even though you're the Goddess of Night."
He made a small joke, then waved his hand, turned, and strode out of the hall. His steps were firm and full of confidence.
Nyx watched his back until he disappeared outside the door and the heavy obsidian stone doors closed again.
The hall returned to its usual dead silence.
She sighed softly and sat back on her throne.
Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the shoulder Arthashad just leaned against; his body heat seemed to still linger there.
"Truly a little fellow that makes one worry."
"Hela, oh Hela..."
"I hope for the sake of this silly brother, you can be a little more clear-headed."
"Otherwise..."
"If you hurt him, as his sister, I will truly be angry."
In the darkness, her eyes shimmered with a ghostly light.
It was the majesty of a primordial god, and also the overprotectiveness of a sister.
...
Walking out of Nyx's dark-filled temple, Arthas felt the sunlight outside was exceptionally dazzling.
He subconsciously touched his forehead; that trace of coolness remained, proof that the 'Nights Protection' was working.
With this layer of protection, he felt a bit more confident about the upcoming trip to the underworld.
"Next, I need to get the key from that Old Man."
Arthas took a deep breath and looked up at the highest point of the Golden Palace.
That was the place Odin usually liked to stay, the observation deck.
He didn't use teleportation magic or call for guards.
Arthas walked up the winding golden stairs step by step.
With every step, his heart grew a bit heavier.
Although he acted relaxed in front of Nyx and vowed to bring his sister home.
He knew in his heart that this would be a tough battle.
It wasn't just a confrontation of strength, but a gamble of emotions.
Hela.
That name had been deliberately erased from Asgard's history, yet it was as omnipresent as a ghost.
He pushed open the doors to the observation deck.
The piercing high-altitude wind howled as it rushed in, making Arthas's robes flutter loudly.
At the edge of the observation deck.
A tall figure stood silently with his back to him.
He wore the golden armor that symbolized supreme power, his red cape billowing in the wind.
In his hand, he held the legendary Gungnir—gungnir.
It was indeed the king of the gods, Odin.
Only now, he didn't appear to have his usual majesty and dominance; instead, he exuded an indescribable loneliness and age.
Hearing the footsteps behind him, Odin did not turn around.
He continued to gaze at the prosperous continent of Asgard beneath his feet.
He looked at the buildings gleaming in the setting sun and the seven-colored light radiating from the distant Bifrost.
"You've come."
His voice was low and raspy, as if it had traveled through a thousand years of time.
"Have you seen Nyx?"
"With her personality, she must have teased you quite a bit, right?"
Arthas walked to Odin's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him, also looking into the distance.
"It was alright."
"Sister... she's quite nice."
"She gave me a lot of advice and even gave me something to protect my life."
Arthas paused and turned to look at Odin's profile.
This was the person he had called "Father" for over a decade.
Even though they weren't blood-related, that fatherly love was real. Seeing the Old Man like this now, he also felt bad in his heart.
"Father."
Arthas didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.
"I'm here for the coordinates."
"The coordinates for Hela's place of imprisonment."
"Since you've dumped this task on me, you have to give me a map, right?"
"I don't want to go crashing around the Nine Realms like a headless fly."
Hearing the name "Hela."
Odin's hand holding gungnir visibly tightened.
His knuckles turned white from the force.
He was silent for a long time, so long that Arthas thought he was going to regret it or had fallen asleep.
Only then did he slowly heave a sigh; that sigh contained too much helplessness, regret, and pain.
"In Midgard."
Odin finally spoke.
"That is, Earth."
"By a cliffside in Scandinavia, where an ancient battlefield lies."
"It is also one of the places in the Nine Realms where the spatial barriers are at their weakest."
He reached out his finger and traced something in the air.
A golden light condensed into a complex runic coordinate, floating before Arthas.
"That place is known as the entrance to the 'Kingdom of the Dead'."
"It connects Midgard and Helheim."
"It is a pocket dimension that exists outside of reality."
Chapter 103: The God King's Confession!
Arthas reached out to catch the coordinate rune, imprinting it into his mind.
"Norway, huh..."
"It seems like a place with quite nice scenery."
He tucked away the coordinates and looked at Odin.
"Old Man, you..."
"Don't you have anything you want me to tell her?"
"For example... a'sorry'?"
"Or an 'I miss you'?"
Odin gave a bitter smile, one that looked worse than crying.
He turned around, a murky light flickering in his lone eye.
"Sorry?"
"Can a single'sorry' make up for thousands of years of imprisonment?"
"Can an 'I miss you' erase the hatred in her heart?"
"It's useless, child."
"Between her and me, there's no going back."
"From the moment I decided to seal her away, I lost the right to be a father."
Odin looked up, seemingly lost in memory.
"Back then, she was my pride."
"She was also Asgard's sharpest sword."
"Together we conquered the Nine Realms and quelled the chaos of war."
"She rode the giant wolf Fenrir, sweeping through all resistance."
"But..."
Odin's voice trembled slightly.
"Her ambition was too great."
"So great that she wanted to consume everything, to spread the flames of war across the entire Universe."
"And I... by then, I was weary of the slaughter."
"I wanted to give Asgard a peaceful future."
"So, you had a falling out."
Arthas followed up softly.
Although he hadn't lived through that era, he could imagine the tragedy of father and daughter turning against each other.
Two equally powerful and equally proud people.
Because of their differing ideologies, they eventually ended up on opposite sides.
"Yes, a falling out."
Odin closed his eyes.
"To stop her, for the sake of peace."
"I had to use all my strength to seal her in that dark, sunless place."
"That was a choice I had to make as a King."
"But as a father..."
"I am a complete and utter failure."
Odin reopened his eyes and looked at Arthas, a hint of pleading in his gaze.
"So I don't have the face to see her."
"I don't dare face those eyes of hers, filled with hatred."
"I'm afraid I'll go soft, afraid I'll make the same mistake again."
"But you are different."
"You possess the warmth and tolerance that I lack."
"You are the child of the Goddess of Love."
Saying this, Odin reached out his large, wrinkled hand and heavily patted Arthas's shoulder.
"Arthas, my child."
"Please, go see her for me."
"If... if it's possible."
"Bring her back."
"Even if she hates me, even if she wants to kill me."
"As long as she can come home."
"This place will always be her home."
Feeling the heavy weight on his shoulder.
Arthas's heart was a whirlpool of emotions.
He saw the helplessness of a God King and the humility of an old father.
At this moment, the last bit of resentment he had toward Odin dissipated.
What remained was only responsibility.
"Don't worry, Old Man."
Arthas reached back and gripped Odin's wrist, giving it a firm squeeze, his face showing that signature confident smile.
"I won't just bring her back."
"I'll also make her willing to call me 'brother'."
"As for her hatred toward you..."
"Leave that to me to resolve."
"Whether it's beating her into submission physically or swaying her heart psychologically."
"I, Huwen Odinson, never fight a battle I'm not prepared for."
"Just wait here in peace."
"Wait for the day of our family reunion."
Hearing Arthas's words.
Odin was stunned for a moment.
Then, a hint of a gratified smile finally appeared on that aged face.
"Good."
"Good child."
"I knew that bringing you back to Asgard was the rightest decision I've ever made in my life."
"Go."
"Diana and the others are still waiting for you."
"Don't let them worry."
Arthas nodded.
Putting away his smile, he solemnly gave Odin an Asgardian military salute.
It was respect for a King and a promise to a father.
"I'm off!"
Having said that, he turned and walked to the edge of the observation deck.
Golden light gathered beneath his feet.
"Bifrost!"
With a light shout from him.
A brilliant seven-colored pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping him within.
Instantly breaking through the clouds, it flew toward distant Midgard.
Odin stood where he was, watching the pillar of light disappear into the horizon.
He didn't move for a long time.
The wind ruffled his graying beard and hair.
But he seemed unable to feel the cold.
"Hela..."
He murmured softly.
"I hope this time, the ending will be different."
"I hope this child can truly create a miracle."
Meanwhile, within the light-speed transport of the Bifrost.
Arthas watched the stars flashing past around him.
His brain was working at high speed.
Norway, Kingdom of the Dead.
That was the place where Hela had been sealed for thousands of years, and also the shura field he was about to face.
Although he had Nyx's "Nights Protection" and Odin's coordinates.
He knew the real challenge was just beginning.
Hela.
Goddess of Death.
A powerhouse whom even Odin could only seal and not kill.
Facing such an "older sister" who had accumulated thousands of years of resentment.
Just talking would definitely not be enough.
He had to have absolute strength.
The power to make her hurt, wake her up, and beat her into submission.
Arthas clenched his fist.
Feeling the surging divine power within his body, he also seemed to be looking forward to the upcoming battle.
"Sister, oh sister."
"I hope you don't disappoint me too much."
"And I hope..."
"You can withstand my 'Iron Fist of Love'."
"Boom!"
The pillar of light from the Bifrost slammed heavily onto the surface of Earth.
Norway, a remote seaside cliff.
The massive impact kicked up dust and debris all over the sky.
Once the light dissipated.
Arthas's figure appeared.
He was still wearing his Asgardian casual clothes, but he now carried a sharp battle intent.
Here was a desolate grassland, with the bottomless sea ahead.
The sea wind howled, and the waves crashed against the reefs, making a deafening roar.
And at the end of that cliff.
There was a faint, unnatural distortion in the air—an invisible barrier separating the world of the living from the dead.
Which was what Odin called—the entrance to the Kingdom of the Dead.
Arthas walked to the edge of the cliff.
Closing his eyes, he carefully sensed the fluctuations in that space.
Sure enough.
Even through the seal, he could feel the heart-stopping aura of death coming from within.
It was pure, cold, and devoid of any warmth.
If not for the "Nights Protection" on his forehead operating automatically and helping him offset that mental pressure.
An ordinary person would probably go insane just standing here.
"Found you."
Arthas opened his eyes, a golden light flashing in his pupils.
He reached out his hand, pressing it against the void.
The divine power in his body began to arrange and combine according to the coordinate rune given by Odin.
"Crack..."
A sound like glass shattering came from the air.
Under the impact of his divine power, that invisible barrier slowly cracked open a gap.
The gap grew larger and larger.
Eventually forming a pitch-black vortex.
There was no light inside, only endless darkness and silence.
Like the gaping maw of a giant beast waiting to devour its prey.
Waiting for the prey to fall into its trap.
Arthas looked at the vortex.
Without the slightest hesitation.
He straightened his clothes, as if he were going to an ordinary family dinner.
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a row of pearly white teeth.
"Sister Hela."
"Your brother has come to see you."
With that, he leaped forward.
Jumping directly into the black vortex.
His figure was instantly swallowed by the darkness.
Leaving only the howling sea wind by the cliff.
And that slowly healing spatial rift.
Chapter 104: Heading to the Kingdom of the Dead, Bringing My Sister Home
Passing through that dark vortex that seemed to have no end.
The feeling of weightlessness finally vanished, replaced by the sensation of solid ground.
"Boom!"
Arthas's feet stepped heavily onto the soil of the Kingdom of the Dead.
A massive impact force radiated outward with him as the center, shattering the mountain-like piles of withered bones around him.
It kicked up bone ash into the sky, forming a pillar of grayish-white smoke in the air.
There was no sunlight here, no wind, not even the flow of time.
Above was a gray, perpetually oppressive firmament.
All around was an endless wasteland, with countless remains from unknown eras scattered across the ground.
Occasionally, a few clusters of green ghostly fire drifted in the distance.
They illuminated the undead wandering in the darkness—those with only half a body or missing limbs.
The air here was bone-chillingly cold; inhaling it felt like swallowing countless tiny ice shards, carrying a nauseating scent of decay and death.
However, in this world full of deathly silence and despair, an out-of-place existence appeared.
Arthas stood up straight and brushed the dust off his body.
The "Nights Protection" at the center of his forehead emitted a soft, eerie glow, isolating the death energy that tried to corrode him.
And the surging Divine Power of Light within him poured out like a flood breaking through a dam.
Golden light gushed out from every pore of his body.
In this pitch-black underworld, he was like a newly risen blazing sun.
Dazzling, scorching, and incomparably overbearing.
The undead who were originally wandering aimlessly around...
...under the illumination of this light filled with vitality and sacred power...
...all let out shrill, miserable screams.
Covering their eyes, they fled frantically in all directions as if they had seen their most terrifying natural enemy.
They tried to hide in the shadows where the light could not reach.
Within a radius of several hundred meters, an "Absolute Domain of Light" belonging only to Arthas was instantly formed.
Arthas ignored these low-level undead.
His gaze passed through layers of mist, locking firmly onto a certain direction deep within the wasteland.
There, an extremely powerful and pure aura of death was awakening.
Like an ancient giant beast that had slept for a thousand years, disturbed from its peaceful dreams by an intruder.
It was slowly opening its bloodthirsty eyes.
"Coming."
Arthas murmured to himself.
His right hand slowly gripped the divine weapon at his waist, ready to unsheathe it.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
A faint but clear sound of footsteps came from the depths of the darkness.
Every step that fell seemed to tread on the pulse of this world.
Making the entire underworld tremble along with it.
The mist gradually dissipated.
A tall figure appeared in Arthas's sight.
She wore a tattered black bodysuit, covered with the marks of time and unknown stains.
The green cloak behind her, which once symbolized glory, was now reduced to a few tattered strips of cloth hanging limply on the ground.
Her long black hair was scattered in a mess, covering half of her face.
The eye that was exposed had heavy black eyeshadow around it.
She looked as thin as a stick, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
But the aura emanating from her was more terrifying than any army of thousands.
She was a god of slaughter who had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
The Queen who controlled death and destruction.
Hela.
Hela stopped her footsteps, standing fifty meters away from Arthas.
She tilted her head up slightly, her ice-cold, indifferent eyes staring fixedly at Arthas.
Staring at this intruder whose whole body radiated the loathsome scent of Odin and vitality.
She did not speak.
Because here, language was the most useless thing.
Only power was the sole passport.
Suddenly.
Hela moved.
Without any warning, she raised her right hand.
In her previously empty palm, a black, spiked longsword, seemingly polished from obsidian stone, instantly condensed.
The night sky sword.
The next second.
She flicked her wrist.
The sword turned into a bolt of black lightning, heading straight for Arthas's face with a shrill whistle that tore through the air.
"So fast!"
Arthas's pupils constricted slightly.
As expected of the ruthless person who could once contend with Odin for the world.
Even after being sealed for thousands of years, even in a weakened state...
...the speed and power of this strike were still enough to instantly kill most so-called gods.
But he was no ordinary god.
He was the new king of Asgard, the candidate for the king of the gods.
"Clang!"
A crisp sound of clashing metal echoed throughout the underworld.
Arthas did not dodge.
The moment the night sky sword was about to pierce his forehead...
...the longsword at his waist was unsheathed.
The Excalibur.
This divine weapon, painstakingly forged by the Dwarf King of Nidavellir and infused with Arthas's conviction and oaths, showed its sharpness in this world full of death.
A dazzling gold and blue glow erupted from the blade.
It easily blocked Hela's fatal strike and directly shattered the black night sky sword into powder.
Arthas held the sword with one hand, the tip pointing diagonally toward the ground. The golden light on his body and the glow of the blade complemented each other, making him appear even more sacred and inviolable.
He still did not speak, just quietly looked at Hela, his eyes filled with battle intent.
Seeing her attack neutralized so easily...
...a flicker of emotion finally appeared on Hela's eternally frozen face.
She tilted her head, seemingly surprised by this intruder's strength, but it was only a slight surprise.
Immediately after, an even more violent killing intent erupted from her body.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
She raised both hands simultaneously.
Countless night sky swords appeared out of thin air, densely suspended behind her.
Like a wall made of sharp blades.
"Go!"
Hela waved both hands forward.
The sky full of swords poured down like a rainstorm.
Every sword carried a will to kill, blocking all of Arthas's paths of retreat.
It was a rhythm intended to turn him into a hedgehog.
Facing this overwhelming attack...
...Arthas did not retreat, but advanced instead.
He gripped the hilt with both hands and held the Excaliburhigh.
The Divine Power of Light within him frantically poured into the blade.
"Hah!"
With a low shout...
...he swung the sword forcefully.
A massive gold and blue crescent-shaped sword qi swept out.
With an unstoppable momentum, it met the rain of swords in the sky.
"Rumble!"
Two completely different forces collided in the air.
Triggering a series of violent explosions.
Black fragments and golden specks of light flew everywhere.
Blasting deep craters into the surrounding ground.
The smoke and dust had not yet dissipated...
...when a black figure had already passed through the center of the explosion.
Hela held two massive double-edged battle axes, transformed from the night sky swords.
She appeared above Arthas's head like a phantom.
"Die!"
Chapter 105: Holy Sword vs. night sky sword, the Destined Duel of New and Old God Kings
This was the first word Hela had spoken since they met.
Her voice was hoarse and piercing, sounding like two rusted iron plates rubbing together.
Taking advantage of her downward momentum, she swung her twin axes fiercely at the crown of Arthas's head.
Arthas reacted lightning-fast, instantly raising his sword to parry.
Clang!
The massive impact caused the ground beneath his feet to cave in instantly, his feet sinking deep into the soil.
Yet, he still caught the blow steadily.
The muscles in his arms were taut, and veins bulged.
Golden divine power formed an indestructible shield over his body.
The two maintained this stalemate posture.
Face to face, eye to eye.
They were so close they could almost smell each other's breath.
Arthas smelled a heavy scent of blood and the decay of death.
Meanwhile, Hela smelled a scent of sunlight that she found extremely loathsome yet inexplicably familiar.
That was the scent of Odin.
It was also the scent of Asgard.
Hela stared intently into Arthas's amber eyes.
A trace of doubt flashed through her eyes.
This man...
He possessed Odin's divine power, yet also had a certain quality that did not belong to Odin.
He was strong.
Stronger than any wraith she had seen in these thousands of years.
This long-lost feeling of being evenly matched...
caused Hela's long-numbed heart to actually start beating faster.
Who are you?
Hela finally asked her second sentence.
However, she still increased her strength, attempting to crush Arthas's defense.
Arthas grinned, revealing a row of white teeth.
Beat me.
Then I'll tell you.
After saying that, he suddenly exerted force, his divine power erupting and blasting Hela away.
Hela performed an elegant backflip in mid-air and landed steadily.
Instead of being angry, she revealed a cruel and excited smile.
Very well.
It's been a long time since anyone dared to speak to me like that.
Since you want to play...
then I'll play with you.
With a flick of her hands, the battle axes in her grip instantly dissipated.
In their place were two even more slender and sharper black longswords.
In the next moment.
The two charged at each other again.
This time, it was no longer a simple collision of strength, but a peak duel of technique and speed.
Golden silhouettes and black phantoms intertwined frantically across the wasteland.
The sound of clashing blades rang out like dense raindrops, each collision sparking brilliant fire.
Hela's swordsmanship was vicious and tricky, every move lethal.
It was a completely reckless fighting style.
She didn't care about defense at all, only about how to kill her opponent with the greatest speed.
Even if it meant trading injuries, she didn't hesitate.
This frantic combat style was an instinct she had honed through countless life-and-death struggles.
Arthas, however, was different.
His swordsmanship was bold and upright, filled with righteousness.
This was a unique style combining traditional Asgardian martial arts, Diana's Amazonian combat techniques, and Brunhilde's Valkyrie battle arts.
He fought steadily, not only neutralizing all of Hela's attacks...
but also launching sharp counterattacks in the gaps.
The Excalibur seemed to come alive in his hands.
At times heavy as a sledgehammer, at times as nimble as flowing light.
Ssh!
One of Hela's swords grazed Arthas's cheek, cutting a few strands of his hair.
Meanwhile, Arthas's foot kicked Hela heavily in the abdomen, sending her sliding back over ten meters.
The two separated again, but this didn't stop the fight; instead, it further incited the ferocity of both sides.
Hela rubbed her abdomen, the green light in her eyes growing more intense.
The hair behind her began to move on its own, slowly lengthening until it formed a massive, stag-horn-like black crown.
This was the sign of her power being fully unleashed, the true form of the Goddess of Death.
Interesting.
You've earned the right for me to get a bit serious.
She beckoned with her hand, and the ground began to vibrate violently.
Countless massive black spikes erupted from the earth, instantly filling the entire battlefield like a forest.
Arthas looked at the terrain that had changed in an instant and felt Hela's aura, which was still steadily climbing.
The smile on the corner of his mouth faded slightly.
He knew the warm-up was over.
Next was the real battle.
He held the Excalibur upright before him, his left hand gently stroking the blade as he spoke softly.
Since Big Sister is being so serious...
as your little brother, I shouldn't hide my skills too much either.
The golden light on his body surged again.
This time, it wasn't just pure Divine Power of Light; it was mixed with a hint of silver sharpness (Valkyrie Power) and deep crimson Earth Power (Sif's Power).
Although he hadn't activated the full power mode of "Echo of Love" yet...
this wave of mixed divine power was already enough to make the Kingdom of the Dead tremble.
Again!
Both let out a roar simultaneously.
Their figures turned into streaks of light once more, crashing together fiercely.
The golden holy sword and the black night sky swordclashed frantically in the air.
Every collision was like the fall of two stars.
Turning the Underworld, which had been silent for millennia, upside down.
The aftershocks of the battle had just settled for a moment when the two separated again.
In Hela's originally dull, dead-fish eyes, a heart-palpitating cold light suddenly erupted.
She didn't feel frustrated by the previous stalemate.
Instead, like a powder keg with a lit fuse, her entire being emitted an even more violent and dangerous aura.
She slowly spread her arms, the black crown behind her dancing wildly in the wind.
Interesting.
Since you like playing with swords so much...
then I'll let you see what a true... Sword Domain is.
As her words fell.
The space of the entire Kingdom of the Dead seemed to freeze.
Countless black particles peeled away from the air, the ground, and even from the wandering spirits.
They converged around Hela.
Crack, crack, crack...
A series of dense, crisp sounds joined together.
Thousands of night sky swords were generated out of thin air.
They were no longer the disorganized projectiles from before.
Instead, they were arranged in a certain eerie and tight formation.
Sealing off all directions around Arthas—up, down, left, right, north, south, east, and west.
Even the ground beneath his feet began to writhe, with sharp black spikes drilling out.
This was Hela's famous ultimate move—Night Sky Domain.
Within this domain, every inch of space was her weapon.
Every wisp of air was filled with killing intent.
There were no blind spots, and no possibility of evasion.
Die!
Hela slammed her palms together.
That sky full of sword seas, carrying the will to destroy everything, frantically surged to strangle Arthas at the center.
Facing this terrifying attack that could instantly level a mountain peak.
Arthas, however, did not show the slightest panic.
He stood in place, not even swinging the Excalibur in his hand.
Only the corner of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a smile full of confidence.